KATSEYE has reached another career milestone on the Billboard Hot 100. The multinational girl group’s new song, “Animal,” debuts at No. 24 this week, delivering the strongest opening of their career on the chart and continuing their remarkable rise in the U.S. music market.
The debut marks KATSEYE’s highest-ever entry on the Billboard Hot 100, surpassing the No. 28 launch of “Pinky Up” earlier this year and the No. 29 start of “Internet Girl” in January. While “Animal” earns their biggest debut, it currently stands as the group’s second-highest-charting song overall, trailing only “Gabriela,” which climbed to a career-best No. 21 after debuting at No. 94 in July 2025 and enjoying a months-long ascent fueled by streaming, radio airplay and festival performances.
Released in late July as the latest preview of KATSEYE’s upcoming EP Wild, “Animal” arrives just weeks before the project’s August 14 release. The infectious song became an instant hit. On Spotify, it racked up nearly 22 million streams in its first week, marking their best debut ever.
KATSEYE’s Billboard journey has been one of steady growth rather than overnight success. Following their formation through HYBE and Geffen Records’ Dream Academy, early releases including “Debut” and “Touch” generated international buzz but narrowly missed the Hot 100. Their breakthrough finally arrived with “Gnarly,” which debuted at No. 92 in May 2025 before eventually reaching No. 82.
The group’s commercial trajectory accelerated significantly over the following year. “Gabriela” evolved into a breakout hit after becoming a streaming and radio favorite, while “Internet Girl” delivered their strongest debut at the time. “Pinky Up” raised the bar again in April 2026, and June’s label collaboration “Iconic by Mistake” alongside LE SSERAFIM and ILLIT opened at No. 38, giving KATSEYE another high-profile Hot 100 entry.
With “Animal” now arriving at No. 24, KATSEYE has officially earned six Billboard Hot 100 entries in just over a year. The progression—from “Gnarly” peaking at No. 82 to “Gabriela” reaching No. 21 and “Animal” opening inside the top 25—highlights how consistently the group has strengthened its presence across streaming platforms, radio and live performances.
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